Rationalizing
by TrippinOverMyFandoms
Summary: A mission goes south and Luther and the others are called together for one of their father's lectures. Luther has had enough of being the good little soldier today. Though his act of bravery doesn't go as he expects. A short story.


They all stood in a line, one through seven except for five from right to left, in the entry way. They looked neat and clean for teens who had returned from a botched mission the night before. All except for the swelling around Diego's eye, Klaus' busted lip, the butterfly bandage on Ben's brow and Allison's cheek, and the cuts that stung on Luther's hands.

Luther wasn't sure why Vanya was there. She wasn't apart of the failed mission. She had been home safe while they were out risking their lives. As they waited on their father, Luther let himself feel a small twinge of resentment toward his sister. Vanya got to stay home and be somewhat normal where as the rest of them had nearly died. Although the feeling is quickly diminished when he reminds himself that he's glad that she was safe, even if it came with a bit of jealousy.

Reginald looks at the six of them, a scowl fixed upon his face and it's deeper than usual. They all stand up straight with hands at their sides. Luther stares straight ahead at the glass around the front door.

"I am greatly disappointed in all of you." Are their father's first words to them, cutting through the silence like a blade. In his peripheral Luther can see his siblings sulk slightly on his left. On his right he can see their mother and he's not sure if her presence is comforting or not. Whatever speech their father is about to give them is a serious one.

Normally the words would cause Luther to cower like the others, if not more affected. But instead of the normal feeling of failure he feels resentment. His gut twists in some kind of premature anger and he hits his chin out, still staring forward, much like a soldier having returned from battle only to be about thrust into another one.

"I expected better of you. All of you. Your actions the previous evening don't go without consequence. Many have lost homes and some even lives." Reginald paces up and down the line his children have formed. His speech cold and unwavering. The disapproving tone matching well.

Luther's face twists into somewhat of a scowl. On any normal day after a mission he'd be the good soldier, ready for a word lashing and then thrown right back into everyday life. But Luther was exhausted and his head hurt and so did every muscle in his body and on top of all of that he had barely slept, images of the mission gone wrong all he could see when he closed his eyes. So today Luther is done playing golden boy.

"It wouldn't have gone that way if you had told us more about what we were up against." It's half mumbled and Reginald, who's at the opposite side of the line, stops his pacing and turns to Luther who's staring daggers at some fixed point only he can see. Luther notices small gasp from Ben and it sounds like Diego has stopped breathing next to him. He can even feel Vanya's eyes on him. Hear the anxious tap of Allison's nails on the buckle of her belt.

Then their father beings to walk up the line towards him. "Speak up Number One." His command is clearly daring Luther to defy him again, voice raised and angry.

And Luther doesn't hesitate to repeat only louder, gaze unmoving, "It wouldn't have gone that way if you had told-" it's cut off sharply by something Luther hasn't realized has occurred until it's over. His head is whipped to the side and he almost looses his balance, usually perfect blonde being messed up by the momentum. It's accompanied by a painful burning sensation on the left side of his face.

And all five of his siblings quietly gasp in union.

Luther's eyes are wider than that of a deer's who's been caught in a car's headlights. He's frozen just like one as well. He slowly turns his head to look at his father who's features seem unchanged.

Reginald continues with his speech but Luther is far too shocked to register any of it. He doesn't even realize they've been dismissed until everyone is moving around him.

His brothers and sisters give him strange looks he can't comprehend as he lets Grace briefly inspect the red mark forming on the side of his face before he pushes her away. He runs off down the hall and up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut behind him and pressing his back flush against it.

His knees become wobbly and weak and he slowly sinks to the floor.

He can't believe that his father has just slapped him.

He's seen it happen to the others. To Diego or Klaus when they decide to be a smart ass. And once or twice to Allison caught in the act of trying to rumor one of the members of the family. Even Five when he spoke out against their father much like he himself had just done.

But Luther had never been physically disciplined by Reginald.

He's not entirely sure why he starts crying but he knows once the tears start they don't stop. They come in waves and sobs and choked breaths that leave him in a short lived coughing fit. He's seventeen and he hasn't cried this hard since he was fourteen and realized Five was never coming back.

He leans his head back against the door, trying to catch his breath as more and more sobs leave him. Trying to focus on breathing and the brown wooden beams that ran across his ceiling and the model planes he had hung from them. Now he wishes he hadn't pushed his mother away. He could use her comfort.

Luther almost misses the little knocks on the door.

"Go away." He says, once he realizes he has indeed heard them. His voice cracks making the words almost unrecognizable. He doesn't know who for sure is at his door but he doesn't want them to see him like this. So distraught and he doesn't even have the answers as to why yet.

"C'mon Luther, talk to me." It's Allison but he can hear whispers and suspects that the others are there too. Strange since most of them acted as if the resented him more and more as they got older. He feels pressure against the door and guesses Allison has sunk to the floor. He pictures her back in the same spot as his only being separated by the door.

"It was my fault." He chokes out, taking in a deep and shaky breath.

"No it wasn't. We all messed up." It was Ben who spoke this time and again he feels the pressure against the door. Now he pictures Allison leaning against one side and Ben against the other with the rest standing.

Luther then bangs his head against his door. "Not for last night. For earlier." And another sob leaves him and he struggles to control it. "I was out of line and I shouldn't have spoken up at all." Luther does his best to justify his father's actions. In the past Reginald had always had a reason for their punishments and how they were executed. Why would this be any different.

"Oh seriously bro?" Klaus, "We all know you were right, even if it's annoying." The last part of that mumbled followed by a thump and an "ow" from Klaus followed it shortly. He pictured Vanya hitting him on the arm or something and he can't help the little grin that finds its way to his lips despite the sadness.

"What Klaus means is that Dad is a bastard." Diego. He was always so blunt with how he felt. A trait that was only rivaled by Five who tended to be just as such.

"Luther you don't need to justify his actions and blame yourself. You were right. And so is Diego. Dad is just mean sometimes." Allison sounded so serious, purpose and meaning in every ounce of her words.

Luther sighs and stands to open the door. When he does both Allison and Ben fall forward a little but correct themselves and stand up.

It's a sight to behold. His siblings there in his defense, like an army ready to defend him. It was odd since he was usually the protector of all of them. But here they were. He supposed in some way that they were returning the favor.

Vanya seems to be the first to notice the angry red mark on Luther's face and she's the first to rush forward and hug him. It's so tight he wonders if he's the one who was gifted with super strength. Klaus is next followed by Allison and then Ben and eventually Diego. They all hug Luther and he lets a few more tears slip. Because instead of sadness he feels loved. And he does his best to hug back all of them. Despite their differences and their arguments and fights he doesn't want to loose any of them. His only hope is that they will survive what being teenage superheroes throws at them.

So there they stand in the hall, wrapped in one group hug and at the center being Luther. For now he grounds himself in the warm embrace of his siblings and let's their love for him wash away the hurt their father had caused him to feel.


End file.
